Staying Fit During Quarantine: Moms Are Totally Loving Pilates at Home
Keeping a fit body during this pandemic is hard but ONELIFE has the solution: Pilates.
Joining a fitness class can be daunting, especially when you’re new to training programs. As much as it could promise a better bod, it can prompt a sea of questions: is my form right? what if it’s too intense for me? How can the instructor address this certain problem area? how can I maximize the class to meet my goals?
Everyone’s fitness level and needs vary, but in the case of many classes, programs are designed in a one-size-fits-all scheme. This is the landscape that has shaped ONELIFE’s distinct approach to physical fitness. The first clinical Pilates and Physical Therapy studio in the Philippines, it understands that a person’s abilities and needs are different when it comes to exercise—especially for women.
“When you are a woman, there are physical changes and demands that require a different level of care,” explains Tanya Aguila, owner of ONELIFE. “These could be anything from having an old injury that requires special focus, or going through physical changes as you get pregnant or as you give birth, or setting goals that demand more intense exercises, or even having a phobia that may impact where or how you work out.”
ONELIFE Pre-COVID
ONELIFE is a product of Tanya’s self-care journey. Diving deep into the corporate world right after college, she realized three years later that she had been neglecting her overall health. Tanya decided to hit reset. “When I found myself renewed and feeling my best again, that’s when I decided I wanted to share and to motivate others to go and give some time and care back to themselves,” she shares. This path led her to training as a Yoga teacher, making a career shift, and eventually starting a different gym concept with her then-boyfriend and now-husband.
In the past seven years, this first iteration of ONELIFE has evolved into a pioneering boutique studio focused on women-centric physiotherapy.
At the heart of the studio is the ONELIFE Care Circle. It aims to meet women at every or any stage their body is at, with the aid of the team of internationally trained Pilates coaches, licensed physiotherapists, and partner doctors. Whether a client is recovering from an injury, looking into pre- or post-natal exercises, at the height of fitness, or wants a complete lifestyle change, the team designs the best possible training plan to reach her personal best.
“Pilates and Physical Therapy go hand in hand and are extremely complementary,” Tanya explains. “There are some special needs that can’t be addressed by Pilates alone. We have had clients come in with various injuries such as spinal injuries, knee injuries, and the like, and while Pilates can definitely help, it’s still different when under the care of a licensed Physiotherapist. Then when the PT is able to get them to a point where they need strengthening, lengthening, flexibility, et cetera, that’s where the Pilates comes in, which can be instructed by the same person since they are all trained.”
Going Digital
As ONELIFE became known for its personalized approach to fitness, its fanbase grew and grew. And while quarantine restrictions put the studio’s operations on a pivot, it also paved the way for another innovation — go online!
ONELIFE-AT-HOME takes the studio’s renowned brand of personalized care to the digital platform. Through one-on-one video sessions with licensed physical therapists, the team continues to give in-depth condition assessments and exercise guidance at the client’s preferred schedule. Along with this is the launch of portable Pilates equipment and props for those who miss working with the facilities at the studio. Limited-edition merchandise is also sold to raise support for frontliners.
As many women can attest, ONELIFE-AT-HOME has kept their fitness goals and mental wellbeing in check during these uncertain times. Happy client Karen Ayala notes, “I know it’s fun to just follow YouTube videos now but there’s really no comparison to having a coach guide and tell you about proper form, what moves to do to address certain pain areas, and just push your core (literally and figuratively!).”
Women enjoy the uplifting benefits of Pilates even at the comforts of their own houses. “I really appreciate how ONELIFE makes it a point to address my muscle tightness and rounded shoulders. My coach immediately notices these things so she makes sure to include exercises that open up my chest and improve my posture,” shares Camille Co-Koro. Meanwhile, Alex Guttierez shares, “With ONELIFE-AT-HOME, I’m enjoying each breath and each stretch. Slow and controlled. I’m literally discovering my body all over again. And I love it! Just like life, it reminds me that it’s okay to pause and realign.”
“The portable reformer by ONELIFE-AT-HOME really amped up my sessions. There are so many exercises I got to do with it,” relays Nicole Hernandez, who incorporates Pilates into her exercise routines.
Tanya muses, “While virtual coaching and virtual physical therapy are relatively new to the Philippine market, we are very happy with the trust our community has shown us because a lot of our clients have really started adapting to the ‘new normal’ with us.” She adds that their client base has expanded to countries like Switzerland, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the United States. “Our dream is to touch and improve as many lives as we can, whether it be our clients or members of our own team—and pandemic or not—this dream has not changed,” she emphasizes.
As ONELIFE brings their personalized programs to a global scale, more and more women can feel at ease going on board fitness training.
